Improvement in portable houses



PATENT OFFICE.

, JAMES .W. JUSTICE, OF RICH VALLEY, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PQRTABLE HOUSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,085, dated July 14, 1874; application filed May 25, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that II, JAMES W. JUSTICE, of Rich Valley, in the county of Smith and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Houses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of portable buildings or houses, by means of which such buildings can be expeditiously erected or taken down, and the various parts can be more firmly and solidly secured or fastened together, when erected, than in the varioussides, front, and back frames of the building,

at the top; third, in a portable house, consisting of the combination of the several improvements hereinafter specified.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a view of my building, partly in section and partly in plan. Fig. 2 represents a section of the iioor; Fig. 3, a section, showing the method of fastening the beams to the sill or frame and roof, Fig. 4, an inverted view of the roof-frame, showing vents in the same; and Fig. 5, a detached view, showing a modication of the construction of the roof.

A represents the sill or frame of the floor of the building, joined at the corners by means of a mortise-andtenon joint, as shown, and provided with the longitudinal sleeper A', and longitudinal beams or girders A A, to strengthen the frame and support the flooring, which consists of a series of movable panels, B B, with tongues b b at each end, which iit into grooves C C in the frame A and sleeper A. D D represent the vertical beams, which form the front, rear, and side frames of the building. These beams are provided with grooves d d, into which the panels EIE are fitted, forming the weatherboarding or clapboarding of the house.

The door and window frames of the house are formed with grooves in their sides and tops, into which the edges of the panels E E set and securely hold them in place. The vertical beams D D are secured to the frame or sill of the floor by means of screws F F, which pass through said frame or sill and enter the ends of the beams, as shown. The screws at the corners of the frame or sill hold and secure said corners, as well as the beams, and thus add materially to the strength of the building. The top panels E E may be formed with an ornamental cornice, to add to the nish of the building, if desired. G G are the panels forming the roof, consisting of thin strips of board or wood, or other suitable material, bent in the form substantially of the arc of a circle, and held in that shape by means of a frame, H H, secured over said panels, and to the upper part of the house by means of screws la h which pass through. the roof-panels, and onto the upper ends of the vertical beams D D, securely fastening the same and making a substantial roof.

The panels, of course, must be arranged to break joints, in order to keep out watel,

and the frame H H must be made to conform to the shape of the roof, so as to clamp the panels iirmly to the top of the building.

The lower edges of the front and back of the frame are provided with passages or vents I I to allow the water to 'runV from the roof, and the corners are united by a mortise and tenon, through which the screws h h pass in the same manner as in the floor-frame, hereinbefore described.

WhatI claim isl. The vertical grooved corner posts or frames D D and roof-frames H H, provided with the vent-openings I, the frames secured together and to the floor A and roof G H by means of screws h at the corners and sides, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A portable house, as herein specified,

consisting of the grooved sill A, grooved In testimony that Ielaim the foregoing I sleeper A,'tenoned oor-panels B b, grooved have hereunto set my hand this 21st; day of posts D, grooved door and window frames, May,1874. panels E, fastening-screws F h, curved roof G,

JAMES W. J USTIGE. and frame H, provided with vent-openings I, Witnesses:

all combined andV united substantially as and LEVRETT L. LEGGETT, for the purposes herein set forth. J. TYLER POWELL. 

